BHUBANESWAR: When Srujan Saraswat, a 10th standard student of the Capital High School here, was asked to name the writer of the story `Cabuliwala' that he had read and enjoyed in the school textbook `A World Within', he had no clue. For, there is no mention of the name of the writers of the nine stories that the book, published by the Board of Secondary Education (BSE), Orissa, contains.

Like Srujan, nearly four lakh students who are set to appear for the high school certificate examination are yet to know the names of the world famous writers whose stories they have loved to read again and again during the past two years.

Copyright violation

For reasons best known to them, the BSE has not bothered to acknowledge them anywhere in the book while remaining blissfully unaware of the blatant violation of the Copyright Act.

Published in 2003, 5.70 lakh copies of the book have so far been released for the students of Standards IX and X in Orissa.

Chance detection

Ironically, the five Board of Writers, whose names are prominently mentioned in it, have the audacity to announce that "some stories have been simplified, retold and adapted to suit the level of the students!"

The matter came to light when Srujan sought the help of his father Sunil Kumar Prusty, editor of the prestigious cultural magazine Sachitra Vijaya, to explain him the story he liked best, Bhola-Grandpa and the tiger, in Oriya.

Mr. Prusty, a family friend of Pondicherry-based internationally acclaimed Oriya writer Manoj Das and a researcher on his writings, was shocked to see that it was a popular story by Mr. Das that had not been mentioned.

Similarly, Rabindra Nath Tagore's name was not mentioned against `Cabuliwala'.

"During his recent visit to the State to receive the coveted Sahitya Akademi Fellowship, Mr. Manoj Das expressed his displeasure over the matter," informed Mr. Prusty.

Official unaware

"How can the Board of Writers simplify the stories without even informing the writers?" he wondered.

When contacted, BSE Secretary Minaketan Pani told The Hindu that he was not aware of the issue.

"Consent of the writers will be sought soon," he stated.

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